The Venice Film Festival Unveils Lineup For Its 78th Edition
The 78th Venice International Film Festival is organized by La Biennale di Venezia and directed by Alberto Barbera. It will take place at Venice Lido from 1 – 11 September 2021.
The festivals will host the world premiere of 73 feature films, 18 shorts, and one television miniseries (HBO’s Scenes from a Marriage).
Of the dozens of novelties, almost certainly the majority of the films will be well worth the attention. Some have created such hype and expectations that they are impossible to ignore.
The official awards will be presented on Saturday 11th September 2021 during the Awards Ceremony.
The aim of the Festival is to raise awareness and promote international cinema in all its forms as art, entertainment, and as an industry, in a spirit of freedom and dialogue. The Festival also organizes retrospectives and tributes to major figures as a contribution towards a better understanding of the history of cinema.
Fifty-nine countries are represented in this year’s selection. Only 5 female directors have been selected for the main competition this year, a decrease from last year, which had only 8.
The oldest film festival in the world will kick off with the premiere of Pedro Almodóvar’s “Madres paralelas,” starring Penelope Cruz. “Spencer” and “Madres paralelas” are among 21 features premiering as part of the official competition, which has often helped guide eventual Oscar best picture nominees and even winners.
Other films competing for the Golden Lion include Ana Lily Amirpour’s fantasy “Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon,” with Kate Hudson and Craig Robinson; Maggie Gyllenhaal’s adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s “The Lost Daughter,” starring Olivia Colman and Dakota Johnson; Paul Schrader’s crime drama “The Card Counter,” with Oscar Isaac and Tiffany Haddish; and Paolo Sorrentino’s “The Hand of God.”
Venice has been a key jumping-off point for awards season in the past decade including hosting the simultaneous world premiere of eventual Best Picture Oscar winner Nomadland with Toronto in 2020.
The 2021 Venice Film Festival will pay tribute to the late, great Ennio Morricone with a screening of Ennio, Giuseppe Tornatore’s new documentary on the life and music of Italy’s greatest film composer.
Jamie Lee Curtis will be receiving the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement to honor the career of the iconic American actress.
Also, British director and producer Ridley Scott will be the recipient of the inaugural Cartier Glory to the Filmmaker Award. Dedicated to a personality who has made an original contribution to contemporary film, the award will be handed over at a ceremony on the evening of Sept. 10 before the screening of Scott’s new movie “The Last Duel.”
Below is the full list of films selected:
